PD Editorial: Even the auto industry opposes Trump’s fuel standards

In his increasingly irrational fight with California officials and even the auto industry over fuel economy standards, President Donald Trump looks more and more like a clueless backyard mechanic trying to change the oil in his car with a toilet plunger.

Last week brought news that Trump's Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation against California and four automakers - Ford, Honda, BMW and Volkswagen - over a voluntary deal to improve fuel efficiency in their vehicles by 3.7% a year, beginning with the 2022 model year. The deal, which likely will be embraced by other automakers, would set the new fleetwide average at roughly 54.5 miles per gallon by 2026.

“The U.S. Department of Justice brings its weight to bear against auto companies in an attempt to frighten them out of voluntarily making cleaner, more efficient cars and trucks than EPA wants,” Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, said in a statement. “Consumers might ask, who is (EPA Administrator) Andy Wheeler protecting?”

The answer, clearly, is Trump - or, more specifically, his delicate ego.

At the start of his administration, industry officials asked the president to ease the pace of fuel efficiency changes designed to reduce tailpipe emissions and combat global warming. California conceded on that point, delaying by one year the 54.5 mpg goal set by the Obama administration.

But meeting the industry's request to slow the schedule wasn't enough for Trump, who appears obsessed with gutting Obama-era policies, no matter how effective they may be. Trump chose instead to freeze fuel standards at 37 mpg, touching off an inevitable battle with California, which has the right under the Clean Air Act to impose emissions standards stricter than the federal government.

Over the years, that exemption enabled California to guide the debate over national standards because it has such a large share of the auto market. It must continue to do so.

Early this summer, 17 auto manufacturers sent a letter urging Trump to resume negotiations with California “to meet future environmental goals and respond to consumer needs.” Afterward, four of those manufacturers worked out their deal with California independently of the administration - a move that obviously angered Trump.

California officials should continue to fight what Gov. Gavin Newsom accurately calls “bully” tactics. There's no indication the four automakers illegally colluded with regulators against their competition. In fact, the industry's letter to Trump is evidence everyone wanted a deal.

Despite initial resistance to the tougher fuel efficiency standards set by the Obama administration, the auto industry has met new goals without sacrificing safety. Those changes have helped combat global warming, reduced U.S. reliance on foreign oil and saved Americans money at the pump.

The Trump administration's rollback of standards would lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions of 321 million to 931 million metric tons by 2035, according to an analysis by research firm Rhodium Group. The change also would boost daily gas consumption in the U.S. by 500,000 gallons a day.

California must stand firm with its auto industry partners against such recklessness. There's far too much at stake here to allow a man willfully ignorant of climate change to guide this debate.

You can send a letter to the editor at letters@pressdemocrat.com.